I know my husband’s attitude is rooted in fear for his child, and I share that fear. However, I think my son should be able to make his own choices and live his own life. It is very stressful for his siblings (he is the oldest), and it is straining our marriage. How do we get across this bridge with our family intact?

— Torn Between Husband and Son

DEAR TORN BETWEEN HUSBAND AND SON: Why hasn’t your son just enlisted?

If your husband would be willing to consider it, I suggest marriage counseling, or a reputable marriage seminar, for you two. While I can understand any parent’s strong feelings about what’s best for a child, and certainly strong fear of harm, this fight — about a kid who is committed to an honorable path and is no longer a minor — is in its second year. That I cannot understand, because it has become a serious boundary problem.

One thing you can do, while marital help is pending, is explain the following to your husband: Husband had his say and secured Son’s cooperation with a cooling-off year. The only emotionally healthy response for Husband at this point is to thank Son for waiting, reiterate any remaining concerns and assure Son that Husband will support Son’s right to make his own choices, even if Husband objects to the choices themselves.

DEAR CAROLYN: A yearslong relationship with a man I was sure would be my husband ended badly. Badly, as in, one day he just never spoke to me again. At all. No cheating (that I know of), no huge fight, nothing that would’ve merited that treatment. I’d spent holidays with his out-of-town family and vice versa, we’d been on vacations together, hosted parties together, you name it. It crushed me, to the point that I sought counseling.

Out of the blue, I started hearing from him via email/text many months later. No real apology, no genuine interest in my life — just references to old jokes and memories. He knows very well how much he hurt me.

My instinct is to cut this communication off completely, since it doesn’t seem like a sincere effort to be kind or express regret. It’s much harder than I thought to do this, because I haven’t completely moved on despite trying very hard, and he was truly my best friend — until one day he wasn’t.

I think I know the answer to this question — but nothing good can come from entertaining this communication, right? I’m amazed at how long my heart wants to hold on to the notion that a miracle could happen and change that — and enjoy the witty banter in the meantime.

— Post-Breakup

DEAR POST-BREAKUP: Cut it off, please, for your own health, and say you’re not interested in staying in touch — unless and until he’s willing to explain what he did. That’s his invitation to provide answers, one I hope he accepts.

Email Carolyn at tellme@washpost.com and follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carolyn.hax. Find her columns daily at www.seattletimes.com/living